So after weeks of being spoiled with game after game of Premier League action, we now find ourselves with even more football to tuck into this weekend, with the return of the FA Cup. ACCAs at the ready lads!

Yes, the world’s oldest cup competition has lost some of its lustre over the last decade or so, but traditionally the 3rd round of the cup is the most exciting round of the competition due to the chance of a famous cup upset potentially taking place.

What you’ll most likely find before every FA Cup game on the telly, this weekend, is various ex-players recounting their favourite FA Cup memories. But some of the ties in this year’s 3rd round have the potential to highlight the magic of the cup once again. All the while being massive banana skins for a number of Premier League sides.

So let us take you through three potential cupsets (see what we did there) that may very well feature on the back pages come Sunday morning.

Wigan Athletic

Over the past few seasons, Wigan Athletic and their opponents, this weekend, Bournemouth have seen a complete reversal of fortunes. At the beginning of this decade, Wigan were riding high in the Premier League while Bournemouth were attempting promotion from League Two. The past eight years have seen both clubs pass each other by as Bournemouth have climbed up the divisions and are now nicely settled in the Premier League. Whereas Wigan have suffered three relegations and one promotion and currently ply their trade in League One.

Now, looking at this tie on paper, you would think that Bournemouth have all the tools to easily brush Wigan aside and move on to the fourth round. However, Bournemouth have been inconsistent all season, currently sitting in 16th position in the league table. Not to mention the fact that they are struggling for goals from their forward line.

The 2013 FA Cup winners on the other hand have had their shooting boots on and currently sit top of League One. With Wigan in a rich vein of form and Bournemouth only having won one game in their last ten, an upset could very well be on the cards at the Vitality Stadium this weekend. And who knows, maybe Wigan will go on another cup run just like they did under Roberto Martínez in 2013.

Exeter City

Only two seasons ago Exeter City held the mighty Liverpool at home in a pulsating FA Cup third round tie. Now two years later, Exeter find themselves in the same position. This time up against another Premier League side in The Baggies as well as everybody’s favourite manager Alan Pardew.

Pardew took over West Brom in late November 2017. They are yet to win a game under his stewardship with the club currently sitting in 19th position in the table, level on points with bottom side Swansea. So perhaps a run in the 2018 FA Cup is not at the forefront of Pardew’s mind at the moment.

Exeter City on the other hand are currently sitting in a play-off position in League Two with a game in hand. With this tie taking place at a capacity St James Park, the home crowd will be well up for this tie and any sign of fatigue from West Brom could result in a high profile third round casualty.

Fulham FC

The men from the banks of the Thames have begun to stabilise after a rocky few years where they flirted with relegation from the Championship. The Cottagers have slowly begun to build themselves back up under manager Slaviša Jokanović. Craven Cottage will be the venue, as Fulham look to begin making waves in English football again with a victory over Southampton this weekend.

Southampton have been struggling all season, winning only one match in the past two months. With the pressure beginning to mount on manager Mauricio Pellegrino’s shoulders after the record transfer of Virgil Van Dijk to Liverpool. Fulham have the opportunity to kick the Saints while they’re down and pick up a nice confidence booster with a victory this weekend.

So there you have it. Just a couple of the teams that we think may cause an upset in the 2018 FA Cup! And sure wouldn’t a couple of 3rd round shocks be a great start to 2018?

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2018 FA Cup: Who’ll Be This Year’s Giant Killers?

January 5, 2018 (No Comments) by Evan Coughlan

So after weeks of being spoiled with game after game of Premier League action, we now find ourselves with even more football to tuck into this weekend, with the return of the FA Cup. ACCAs at the ready lads!

Yes, the world’s oldest cup competition has lost some of its lustre over the last decade or so, but traditionally the 3rd round of the cup is the most exciting round of the competition due to the chance of a famous cup upset potentially taking place.

What you’ll most likely find before every FA Cup game on the telly, this weekend, is various ex-players recounting their favourite FA Cup memories. But some of the ties in this year’s 3rd round have the potential to highlight the magic of the cup once again. All the while being massive banana skins for a number of Premier League sides.

So let us take you through three potential cupsets (see what we did there) that may very well feature on the back pages come Sunday morning.

Wigan Athletic

Over the past few seasons, Wigan Athletic and their opponents, this weekend, Bournemouth have seen a complete reversal of fortunes. At the beginning of this decade, Wigan were riding high in the Premier League while Bournemouth were attempting promotion from League Two. The past eight years have seen both clubs pass each other by as Bournemouth have climbed up the divisions and are now nicely settled in the Premier League. Whereas Wigan have suffered three relegations and one promotion and currently ply their trade in League One.

Now, looking at this tie on paper, you would think that Bournemouth have all the tools to easily brush Wigan aside and move on to the fourth round. However, Bournemouth have been inconsistent all season, currently sitting in 16th position in the league table. Not to mention the fact that they are struggling for goals from their forward line.

The 2013 FA Cup winners on the other hand have had their shooting boots on and currently sit top of League One. With Wigan in a rich vein of form and Bournemouth only having won one game in their last ten, an upset could very well be on the cards at the Vitality Stadium this weekend. And who knows, maybe Wigan will go on another cup run just like they did under Roberto Martínez in 2013.

Exeter City

Only two seasons ago Exeter City held the mighty Liverpool at home in a pulsating FA Cup third round tie. Now two years later, Exeter find themselves in the same position. This time up against another Premier League side in The Baggies as well as everybody’s favourite manager Alan Pardew.

Pardew took over West Brom in late November 2017. They are yet to win a game under his stewardship with the club currently sitting in 19th position in the table, level on points with bottom side Swansea. So perhaps a run in the 2018 FA Cup is not at the forefront of Pardew’s mind at the moment.

Exeter City on the other hand are currently sitting in a play-off position in League Two with a game in hand. With this tie taking place at a capacity St James Park, the home crowd will be well up for this tie and any sign of fatigue from West Brom could result in a high profile third round casualty.

Fulham FC

The men from the banks of the Thames have begun to stabilise after a rocky few years where they flirted with relegation from the Championship. The Cottagers have slowly begun to build themselves back up under manager Slaviša Jokanović. Craven Cottage will be the venue, as Fulham look to begin making waves in English football again with a victory over Southampton this weekend.

Southampton have been struggling all season, winning only one match in the past two months. With the pressure beginning to mount on manager Mauricio Pellegrino’s shoulders after the record transfer of Virgil Van Dijk to Liverpool. Fulham have the opportunity to kick the Saints while they’re down and pick up a nice confidence booster with a victory this weekend.

So there you have it. Just a couple of the teams that we think may cause an upset in the 2018 FA Cup! And sure wouldn’t a couple of 3rd round shocks be a great start to 2018?